Argon Pharma starts regulatory preclinical phase of an oral drug against pancreatic cancer
In some markets, like the USA and Japan, this disease has reached alarming levels and has become a priority to find treatments to fight it effectively.
By Biocat
Oncostane is one of the first oral treatments for pancreatic cancer to reach regulatory preclinical trials and has an action mechanism that is completely different from those currently administered to fight this disease. The biotechnology company that is carrying out the research is called Argon Pharma, based in the Barcelona Science Park (PCB), and has just received a €250,000 grant through the Innocash program promoted by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness to finish phase I trials. In total, this biotech firm has attracted more than €1 million in competitive grants to take the drug candidate resulting from their research through to clinical proof-of-concept.
"Depending on the size of the tumor at the time of diagnosis, prognosis for this disease is terminal, as few patients survive more than five years and total remission is very rare. Our project focuses on providing an orally administered drug to address an unmet medical need," explains Dr. Ramon Roca, CEO of Argon Pharma.
Oncostane has shown no toxicity in the clinical trials so far, has good bioavailability and demonstrates synergies with the benchmark drug for this disease (gemcitabine). Furthermore, it has a focal adhesion mechanism, which hasn’t yet been exploited in oncological drugs, that leads to cell death through apoptosis.
According to the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology, the estimated incidence in Europe is of 78,000 new cases compared with the 32,000 cases in the United States. In Spain 2,400 men and 2,000 women die each year from this disease. Despite being an orphan disease, pancreatic cancer is among the seven largest markets and it is expected to remain in this position. According to Medtrack, it is estimated that in 2014 first and second line drugs for this type of cancer will reach 1,400 million Euros in 2014. In some markets, like the USA and Japan, this disease has reached alarming levels and has become a priority to find treatments to fight it effectively.
"Due to the disappointing results that have been obtained in recent years to find an effective treatment for this indication, there is a significant potential market for the introduction of our drug for which we have already demonstrated efficacy in vivo, both administering alone in monotherapy as well as in combination therapy. The encouraging results of our compound may represent part of the solution to this current need that is also enhanced by European, American and Japanese drug agencies which can be an opportunity for our strategic lines and our business model," says Ramon Roca, CEO of Argon Pharma.
At the same time, Argon Pharma is also seeking funding to complete development through phase II clinical proof-of-concept.
More information is available in the Barcelona Science Park website.